Sylvaine, the Ambient Post-Metal project of Oslo-based Kathrine Shepard, will be releasing new EP Eg Er Framand on March 22, 2024 via Season of Mist.
For those who have always been attracted to her music because of her ability to incorporate traditional Folk elements, this EP will be particularly welcome; since Shepard intentionally takes a deep dive into traditional music with compelling results. Not only did Shepard decide to make traditional Norwegian Folk music a part of this EP, but the whole concept of the sound and recording for the EP focused on a special location; Kampen Church, and its airy but resonant atmosphere definitely makes its way into the tracks.
In all, Sylvaine has released four albums and a split-EP before; most notably 2022’s Nova, but the Eg Er Framand EP really is its own sound world. The traditional and original songs on this new EP no doubt challenged Shepard to come up with new ways of approaching vocals and instrumentation to honor the past while bringing her own musical chops to the table.
It’s easy to see why the 19th century traditional song “Eg Er Framand” (translated as “I Am a Stranger”) sparked the project for Shepard. She presents it with only vocals and no accompanying instrumentation to bring out its mood as the speaker presents themselves as a “stranger” and wanderer, someone recognizing the fleeting nature of their own human life, and begging for another being to guide their way. The universal feeling of these lyrics is apparent even for non-Norse speakers thanks to Shepard’s careful vocal constructions. Interesting to note, this song is actually very meaningful to Shepard that she has performed it live in Europe, as well as in North and South America, for up to ten years. No doubt those many encounters with the song informed her choices in recording this iteration.
Another major track from the EP includes “Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut”; which is accompanied by an evocative interpretive dance video featuring Shepard. The organ-like drone that opens the song continues for some time alongside Shepard’s chant-like vocals, establishing a mournful feeling that later blooms into fuller, chime-like instrumentation and layered vocals, bringing a gentler sense of warmth, or of waking up. The dance video set in a natural landscape greatly enhances this sense of progression, giving a feeling of embattled survival before gradually giving way to greater movement and sunlight.
Then there are songs like “Eg Veit I Himmelrik Ei Borg” that remind us Shepard is a careful and accomplished stringed instrumentalist, as the plucked out notes build a framework for the song and usher in the vocals. The rhythm of the song is also incredibly important, almost march-like. The long instrumental passages that Shepard retains in the track give the audience time to properly encounter this world and appreciate its nuances. Similarly there is also “Livets Dans” where there is a return of the organ. Here Shepard brings her vocals into relationship with the organ’s movements in a very studied way that becomes almost symbiotic before building to layered, choral vocals. Just one listen through and you immediately hear that a great deal of thought went into both style and arrangement to create these complementary relationships.
While the Sylvaine project has always had a strong influence from Folk music, on this EP Kathrine Shepard has really immersed herself in her music’s roots in a challenging way. While it might seem a simpler enterprise to ‘just play Folk music,’ Shepard has set herself such a high standard on this EP that she actually pushes herself into new creative spaces. As for the solemnity that many of these tracks suggest, Shepard carries it quite earnestly and naturally, coming to grips with elements that inspire her in meaningful ways. For that reason, Cryptic Rock gives Eg Er Framand 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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